Medicare Blog

medicare rules when spouse retire and one will not get social security?

by Ted Howe Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago

Medicare will only cover you, not your spouse or children if they are not eligible on their own. This is where problems begin, especially when a working spouse is older than a non-working spouse. Say the working spouse turns 65, retires, and claims Medicare.

Full Answer

Can my spouse receive Medicare benefits if I am not retired?

Sep 02, 2019 · If you are not 62, your spouse must wait until your 62nd birthday to enroll in premium-free Medicare Part A. If your spouse is not working and is 65 years old, he or she also has the option to remain on your employer health insurance policy while at the same time enrolling in Medicare Part A (with no premium) if you have reached 62 years of age.

What happens if I take my Spouse’s Social Security before retirement?

Once you stop working, Medicare will pay first and any retiree coverage or supplemental coverage that works with Medicare will pay second. Temporary coverage available in certain situations if you lose job-based coverage. coverage to continue your health insurance through the employer’s plan (usually up to 18 months).

Should my older spouse enroll in Medicare Part A or Part B?

Mar 29, 2020 · If your spouse receives a spouse’s benefit based on your work record, your retirement benefits are not reduced, you receive the full amount of your benefit. A widow or widower who has reached full retirement age, and whose spouse did not receive Social Security benefits until 70 years old, receives the full benefit amount of the deceased spouse.

How does Medicare work with my spouse?

When you turn age 62 and your spouse is age 65, your spouse can usually receive premium-free Medicare benefits. Until you’re age 62, your spouse can receive Medicare Part A, …

When a married couple retire Do they both get Social Security?

No. Each spouse can claim their own retirement benefit based solely on their individual earnings history. You can both collect your full amounts at the same time. However, your spouse's earnings could affect the overall amount you get from Social Security, if you receive spousal benefits.

Can I collect spousal benefit and wait until I am 70 to collect my own Social Security?

You can only collect spousal benefits and wait until 70 to claim your retirement benefit if both of the following are true: You were born before Jan. 2, 1954. Your spouse is collecting his or her own Social Security retirement benefit.

Can I switch from spousal benefits to my own?

You will have to file an application to switch from survivor benefits on a late spouse's work record to retirement benefits on your own record. You should apply four months before you want your retirement benefit to start.

Can I get my husbands Social Security when he retires?

The spousal benefit can be as much as half of the worker's "primary insurance amount," depending on the spouse's age at retirement. If the spouse begins receiving benefits before "normal (or full) retirement age," the spouse will receive a reduced benefit.

How much does a wife get of her husband's Social Security?

Key Takeaways. The maximum spousal benefit is 50% of the other spouse's full benefit. You may be eligible if you're married, formerly married, divorced, or widowed. You can collect spousal benefits as early as age 62, but in most cases, the benefits are reduced permanently if you start collecting early.

At what age is Social Security no longer taxed?

At 65 to 67, depending on the year of your birth, you are at full retirement age and can get full Social Security retirement benefits tax-free.

Can I collect my Social Security at 62 and switch to spousal benefits later?

Only if your spouse is not yet receiving retirement benefits. In this case, you can claim your own Social Security beginning at 62 and make the switch to spousal benefits when your husband or wife files.

What is the best Social Security strategy for married couples?

Coordinating your benefits with your spouse's benefits can help you both get the most out of your Social Security payments. In some cases, it makes sense for both spouses to claim on the same spouse's earnings record. Many couples use a "split strategy," which means they begin claiming at different ages.

What happens when both spouses collect Social Security and one dies?

If you are already receiving a spousal benefit when your husband or wife dies, Social Security will in most cases convert it automatically to a survivor benefit once the death is reported. Otherwise, you will need to apply for survivor benefits by phone at 800-772-1213 or in person at your local Social Security office.

Does my spouse automatically get half my Social Security?

If they qualify, your ex-spouse, spouse, or child may receive a monthly payment of up to one-half of your retirement benefit amount. These Social Security payments to family members will not decrease the amount of your retirement benefit.

Can I collect spousal Social Security if my spouse is not collecting?

No. You have to be receiving your Social Security retirement or disability benefit for your husband or wife to collect spousal benefits.

How does Medicare work with my job-based health insurance when I stop working?

Once you stop working, Medicare will pay first and any retiree coverage or supplemental coverage that works with Medicare will pay second.

When & how do I sign up for Medicare?

You can sign up anytime while you (or your spouse) are still working and you have health insurance through that employer. You also have 8 months after you (or your spouse) stop working to sign up.

Do I need to get Medicare drug coverage (Part D)?

Prescription drug coverage that provides the same value to Medicare Part D. It could include drug coverage from a current or former employer or union, TRICARE, Indian Health Service, VA, or individual health insurance coverage.

When does a widow receive Social Security?

A widow or widower who has reached full retirement age, and whose spouse did not receive Social Security benefits until 70 years old, receives the full benefit amount of the deceased spouse.

When do people start thinking about retirement?

When most people reach their 60s , they start thinking about their retirement benefits from Social Security. For married couples, there are advantages to making decisions about retirement as a couple, rather than as individuals.

How old do you have to be to qualify for Medicare?

If your spouse is older than you, they’ll qualify for Medicare benefits at age 65. You may be able to receive Medicare benefits slightly earlier if you’re at least 62 years old, married to someone who is age 65, and also worked for 40 quarters ...

How to apply for Medicare Part A?

To qualify for Medicare Part A benefits at age 65 based on your spouse’s work history, you must meet one of the following requirements: 1 You have been married to your spouse who qualifies for Social Security benefits for at least 1 year before applying for Social Security benefits. 2 You are divorced, but were married to a spouse for at least 10 years who qualifies for Social Security benefits. You must now be single to apply for Medicare benefits. 3 You are widowed, but were married for at least 9 months before your spouse died, and they qualified for Social Security benefits. You must now be single.

What is Medicare Advantage?

One of these options is Medicare Advantage (Part C), which bundles both Part A and Part B together and offers additional coverage and benefits. If extra coverage, like dental, vision, or hearing care, is important to maintaining your individual health, give some thought to whether original Medicare or Medicare Advantage will work best for you.

What is the number to call for Medicare?

If you have further questions about Medicare benefits, you can call the Social Security Administration (SSA) at 800-772-1213 or visit your local SSA office for more information. Read this article in Spanish.

Does Healthline Media offer insurance?

Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance. Last medically reviewed on December 20, 2019.

Does Medicare cover spouse?

Medicare will only cover you, not your spouse or children if they are not eligible on their own. This is where problems begin, especially when a working spouse is older than a non-working spouse. Say the working spouse turns 65, retires, and claims Medicare. The other spouse is only 61.

How long do you have to work to qualify for Medicare?

First, it is important to know how eligibility for Medicare works. Most Medicare beneficiaries have worked and paid Medicare payroll taxes for at least 10 years to qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A as well as Part B coverage. If you have not worked for 10 years but your spouse has, you are allowed to claim benefits on their record. Medicare benefits cannot start earlier than when you turn 65, unless you are disabled, have ALS, or have end-stage renal disease. Medicare will only cover you, not your spouse or children if they are not eligible on their own.

What is Cobra insurance?

COBRA, or the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, is a law that gives workers and families that lose employer health coverage the right to maintain the coverage by paying the full premiums. If a company has more than 20 employees, it is required to offer COBRA benefits. COBRA allows coverage for 18 months, sometimes longer, ...

How long does a spouse have to be on Cobra?

If a company has more than 20 employees, it is required to offer COBRA benefits. COBRA allows coverage for 18 months, sometimes longer, so if the working spouse can wait to retire until 18 months before the younger spouses 65th birthday, this would work out nicely.

How long does Cobra last?

If a company has more than 20 employees, it is required to offer COBRA benefits. COBRA allows coverage for 18 months, sometimes longer, so if the working spouse can wait to retire until 18 months before the younger spouses 65th birthday, this would work out nicely. One caveat to this is that the premiums are going to be much higher than ...

How old do you have to be to get Medicare Part A?

You must be at least 62 years old and eligible for Social Security benefits before your spouse can enroll, because his or her qualification is based on your work record.

What is Medicare Made Clear?

Medicare Made Clear is brought to you by UnitedHealthcare to help make understanding Medicare easier. Click here to take advantage of more helpful tools and resources from Medicare Made Clear including downloadable worksheets and guides.

What happens to Social Security when a spouse dies?

En español | When a Social Security beneficiary dies, his or her surviving spouse is eligible for survivor benefits. A surviving spouse can collect 100 percent of the late spouse’s benefit if the survivor has reached full retirement age, but the amount will be lower if the deceased spouse claimed benefits before he or she reached full retirement age. (Full retirement age for survivor benefits differs from that for retirement and spousal benefits; it is currently 66 but will gradually increasing to 67 over the next several years.)

How long do you have to be married to receive survivor benefits?

In most cases, a widow or widower qualifies for survivor benefits if he or she is at least 60 and had been married to the deceased for at least nine months at the time of death. But there are a few exceptions to those requirements: 1 If the late beneficiary’s death was accidental or occurred in the line of U.S. military duty, there’s no length-of-marriage requirement. 2 You can apply for survivor benefits as early as age 50 if you are disabled and the disability occurred within seven years of your spouse’s death. 3 If you are caring for children from the marriage who are under 16 or disabled, you can apply at any age.

How much can a surviving spouse collect?

A surviving spouse can collect 100 percent of the late spouse’s benefit if the survivor has reached full retirement age, but the amount will be lower if the deceased spouse claimed benefits before he or she reached full retirement age.

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